The present invention generally relates to a video tape recorder having a capability of recording and/or reproducing video information on a magnetic tape housed within a cassette. More specifically, it relates to a cassette loading and unloading device for the video tape recorder.
As is well known to those skilled in the art, the video tape recorder is equipped with a cassette holder for accommodating a tape cassette. The cassette holder is generally supported for movement between an eject position and a set positions, and the tape cassette can be inserted into and removed from the cassette holder only when the latter is held in the eject position. It is also well known that the video tape cassette for use in the video tape recorder is larger in size than an audio tape cassette for use in a sound recording and reproducing apparatus, requiring a relatively large stroke of movement to be accomplished by the cassette holder.
In view of the above, as shown in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, the prior art video tape recorder has an access slope S to define an access opening that permits the access of the hand holding the tape cassette when the cassette holder is in the eject position. In other words, since the prior art cassette loading and unloading device is of such a construction that the cassette holder has to be moved a relatively large stroke between the eject and set positions, the design of the video tape recorder as a whole to minimize as compact as possible requires the provision of the access slope S leading to the cassette holder.
However, because of the presence of the access slope S, the opening of the cassette holder through which the cassette is selectively inserted into and removed from the cassette is exposed to the outside of the video tape recorder through the access opening even when the cassette holder is held in the set position, thereby involving some disadvantages and inconveniences. For example, when and so long as the video tape recorder having the prior art cassette loading and unloading device is not in use with the empty cassette holder held in the set position, the cassette holder still opens wide to the outside and, therefore, foreign matters tend to enter the cassette holder through the access opening. In the worst it may happen, some foreign matters so entering the cassette holder will do much damage to precise and delicate electrical and/or mechanical component parts of the video tape recorder. On the other hand, when and so long as the video tape recorder is in use with the loaded cassette holder held in the set position, some foreign matter if large in size and tending to enter the cassette holder will give a shock to the cassette within the cassette holder, thereby constituting a cause of distorted recording or reproduction of video information.